Sparkling Chocolate Cookies

After trying a recipe for gluten free coconut flour cookies, I decided to revisit another cookie I’ve been making on and off for the past 7 years – a very fudgy, easy, (and pretty) little chocolate cookie covered with sparkling sugar.

Based on an a famous recipe from Vancouver’s Thomas Haas Chocolates, I’ve made changes and variations over the years such as adding chili peppers and rolling in cinnamon sugar. Another new addition is store-bought almond flour. When I first started making these, I would grind my own, but now I keep a bag of Bob’s Red Mill in the freezer, and it works perfectly. And finally, I’ve also noticed that the sparkling sugar makes a big difference. You can roll the cookies in coarse or granulated sugar, but the sparkling type has big crunchy crystals that not only make the cookies pretty, but add a new textural element.

So if you don’t have the sparkly sugar, treat yourself to some! You’re worth it! Or skip it if you can’t find it and make the cookies anyway. Here’s the recipe as I made it yesterday.

A rich chocolate cookie made with almond flour -- perfect for cookie exchanges and Christmas

Author: Cookie Madness

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 30

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 pinch salt

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon honey

3/4 cup almond flour or finely ground almonds

2 teaspoons good quality natural or Dutch cocoa powder

Sparkly or coarse sugar for rolling

Instructions

Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl or large Pyrex liquid measuring cup. Add the chocolate to the hot butter and stir until it is almost completely melted. Return mixture to the microwave and heat at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds, until completely melted. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes. Gradually add the salt, sugar and honey and continue beating for about 3 to 5 more minutes or until the batter is thick and foamy. Fold in the chocolate-butter mixture. Add the cocoa powder to the almond flour and stir that mixture into the chocolate mixture.

Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours or until thick enough to shape. Scoop up heaping teaspoonfuls and shape into about 30 balls. Put the balls on a tray or plate, cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. Before baking, roll balls in sparkling sugar.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Arrange sparkly dough balls on a parchment or nonstick foil lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart and bake for 12 minutes or until just set (moist, but not wet). Let cool completely. You should get about 30 pieces.

Notes

Note: Just to make sure your oven is in sync with the recipe, you might want to make two test cookies to get the timing down. The perfect time in my oven was 12 minutes, but ovens vary, so you may want to check at 10. Timing will also vary if you've made your cookies smaller.

Wow, those look great–very dainty and perfect for a summer party. Looks like a tasty gluten-free cookie that doesn’t ‘scream’ gluten-free. I just made your ‘Browned Butter 1980s Rice Krispie Treats’ using your suggestions, btw. The different butter: cereal: marshmallow ratio and using the 8×8 pan made SUCH a difference. Everyone loved them! And now they make gluten-free Rice Krispies, so I guess I could try making them for my gluten-free friends, along with these…

My niece and I made Sparkle Cookies from the Haas recipe for the county fair. The got a purple ribbon and won the honor of going to state! It’s a fantastic recipe. Now, what to make for next year . . .